


River Town Halloween

by DubiousSparrow



Series: River Town [11]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe, Edgar Allan Poe References, Established Relationship, Fluff, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Married Couple, This May be Crack Posing as Fluff, Wolfstar if you squint real hard, cocktails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:28:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27265717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DubiousSparrow/pseuds/DubiousSparrow
Summary: Ronan makes a drunken promise to Noah that leads to a horde of Edgar Allan Poes in his bar, some painfully bad cocktail names, a couples costume for the ages, and the inadvertent outing of a secret Parrish pastime.
Relationships: Noah Czerny & Ronan Lynch, Ronan Lynch & Blue Sargent, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Series: River Town [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775125
Comments: 25
Kudos: 70





	River Town Halloween

**Author's Note:**

> I maaaay have cartwheeled down Fluff Mountain and into Crack Canyon on this one. I can’t even tell anymore. Happy (slightly early) Halloween, guys!

Ronan had been excited to spend a quiet Halloween with Adam. He’d pictured them handing out candy to all the neighborhood princesses, superheroes, witches, and the one little girl who wore the same armadillo costume every single year. She was his favorite. He’d seen her at the store one year silently refusing to acknowledge the other costumes her mom was gently suggesting she try. He always bought a full-sized candy bar just for her. He respected her obstinacy.

This year Declan and Jordan were even going to bring the girls to trick-or-treat in the neighborhood, excited to give them more of a small town experience. Ronan figured they’d get ready at the apartment, take the requisite pictures of the little monsters (quite literally in this case, since Hennessy was going as Godzilla and Aurora as Mothra), and then he and Adam would spend the rest of the night curled on the couch, drinking cider, taking turns handing out candy until they could turn off the porch light and eat the rest of the candy naked in bed.

He’d had it all planned.

Then Noah happened.

Well, that wasn’t entirely fair. Then Noah and a bottle of tequila happened.

Adam was away on a work trip and Ronan had decided to sleep at the loft in an unsuccessful attempt to not miss him so much. Maybe if he wasn’t in their bed, hugging the pillow that smelled like his husband, he’d get through the week a little easier.

It hadn’t worked.

What _had_ worked, at least somewhat, was drinking nearly an entire bottle of Don Julio with Noah after they closed the bar. Largely because he didn’t remember much after sending Adam some fairly explicit texts, nearly convincing Noah to let him shave his head, and deciding to make onion dip with some very questionable sour cream in the fridge. 

He woke up hungover but alive, so he counted it a successful night - it had gotten him twelve hours closer to Adam being home.

Noah was sprawled across the couch snoring lightly. Ronan took his boot off and threw it at him. It thunked into the couch above his head.

Noah snorted awake and squinted at the Doc Marten lying next to him.

“Not nice.”

Ronan crawled off the bed and sat on the floor, trying to pull his other boot off, “Go home. I can’t handle you right now.”

Noah yawned and started pulling on his hoodie, singing softly under his breath, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...” He stopped and cocked his head, furrowing his brow. “Wait... I’m remembering something...”

“Congratulations. Is it how to use the door?”

Noah’s eyes widened, a smile lighting up his face. He grabbed for his phone on the floor next to the couch and thumbed it open.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Ronan grumbled, running his hands over his buzzed scalp, giving up on his other boot.

Noah crossed the room and sat down next to him, leaning back against the bed, “So last night we were talking about that time in second grade when we bet each other who could climb the highest up that old maple tree, and I fell out and broke my ankle?”

Ronan grunted in acknowledgment, letting his head loll back against the mattress.

“And I guess you felt bad about it. Like _really bad_. Because you couldn’t stop apologizing last night...”

Ronan picked up his head and squinted at Noah, “The fuck? It’s not like I pushed you out of the tree.”

Noah grinned, nodding, “I know. But there must be some seed of guilt in you that the tequila unleashed, because this happened.”

Noah held up the phone and pushed play on a video. Ronan saw himself collapsed on the bed, waving one arm in the air.

_It was my idea, dude! It was my fucking fault! I BROKE YOU! I BROKE MY BEST FRIEND! MY TINY BEST FRIEND!_

Oh, Jesus.

Ronan put his hand over his eyes, “Not cool to film somebody when they’re that lit, douchebag.”

Noah leaned his head on Ronan’s shoulder, “But I’m your _best friend_ , and you _broke me_. Oh, here it comes... the good part.”

_Noah, man. I owe you one. Like, really. Anything you want. I promise._

Ronan could hear Noah on the video now.

_Anything?_

He heard himself drunkenly double-down on the promise. And then he heard exactly what Noah wanted. Like he’d had it queued up.

Fuck.

**

Noah’s broken ankle was going to cost Ronan the following.

One.

A Halloween Party at the bar with Noah in charge of all the details.

Two.

Ronan’s presence and willing participation in said party.

And three.

A couples costume chosen by Noah for him and Adam to wear.

He was not looking forward to telling Adam about that last stipulation.

Ronan never went back on a promise, though. That week he kept his mouth shut as Noah carried boxes of Halloween decorations into the bar, stashing them away until the big day. He kept his mouth shut as posters went up around town announcing the party. He kept his mouth shut when Noah invited Malory to combine the party with the annual charity costume contest he organized, which was normally held at the Village Hall.

And he kept his mouth shut about the couples costume. Including to Adam. He’d tell him when he got home on Halloween, so there’d be less time for him to put up a fight. Ronan hoped that his husband would be so happy to see him he’d just go with it. 

He knew he was dreaming.

**

Ronan changed into his costume after Declan and Jordan and the kids had set out trick-or-treating. He was grateful he hadn’t had to explain it to them. Or god forbid, pose for pictures in it. As he inspected himself in the mirror, he heard the front door open.

“I’m home! Why aren’t you at the door holding a martini and my slippers?” Adam called, dropping his bags.

“Because I’m not a fucking 1950’s housewife or a Labrador,” Ronan yelled back as he came through the bedroom door, bracing himself for Adam’s reaction.

Adam’s jaw dropped and his eyes danced, “What the hell is on your _head_??”

Ronan sighed, pushing strands of long black hair out of his face, “I may have made a drunken promise to Noah.”

Adam was doubled over in hysterics. He finally managed to catch his breath, “Who are you supposed to be?”

Ronan rolled his eyes, “Sirius Black.”

“That’s not what Gary Oldman looked like in the movies…”

“According to Noah, it’s supposed to be young Sirius Black of, and I quote, ‘Marauders Era Fanon.’ He was really fucking specific about it.”

“You’re supposed to be _fan fic Sirius_?”

Ronan arched an eyebrow, and noticed how his husband’s pupils had dilated, “How do you know about fanon and fan fic and whatever the fuck?”

Adam’s cheeks flushed, “I… contain multitudes…?”

Ronan grinned as the penny dropped, “So if I said the word _Wolfstar_ to you…”

Adam blushed a little deeper and shrugged, “Sure, that’s… oh no… no, that’s not happening. Forget it!”

Ronan put his arms around Adam’s waist and pulled him closer, “It wasn’t in the vows, but I think submitting to a couples costume chosen by your husband’s lunatic friend is filed under ‘for better or for worse’ – this being the _worse_.”

Adam pushed the black hair off of Ronan’s face, “This is under ‘in sickness and in health’ as in Noah is sick in the head.”

Ronan bit his lip, “Come on. You get off so easy! You just have to wear a baggy cardigan, and carry a wand, and have some scars drawn across your face. You don’t have to wear the fucking _robes_ or anything.”

Adam hummed in feigned annoyance, “Fine. But only because I’m kind of enjoying this costume on you….” He ran his fingers over the black leather dog collar around Ronan’s neck. Aside from that and the wig, he actually wasn’t dressed that differently than normal. Black jeans, leather jacket, boots, and an old band t-shirt. Adam fingered the fabric, “The Clash? Is this yours? I don’t recognize it.”

“Noah dropped it off. It’s apparently a real one, not a knock-off. It’s on loan from Mal, and if I spill anything on it, I’m in deep shit.”

Adam hummed, running his hands up Ronan’s chest, “You haven’t even kissed me hello yet, you know.”

Ronan smiled, pressing his finger to Adam’s bottom lip, “So you’ll wear the costume?” he asked, his voice low.

Adam wrapped his hand around the collar and used it to pull him closer. He heard Ronan take a sharp breath and felt goosebumps rise on his skin.

“Of course I will. Now welcome me home, you sexy wizard.”

“Yes, Remus.”

**

They ended up being late to the party when they couldn’t find the wig an hour later. It had gotten tossed behind the bed. 

They didn’t have that problem with the dog collar since he’d never taken it off.

**

“Oh. My. God. I didn’t believe Noah when he told me!” Blue was behind the bar when they arrived at The Raven. She was busily pouring shots for a group dressed as Sesame Street characters, “You two look amazing!”

Ronan scowled at her, “And what the fuck are you supposed to be, maggot?”

“You just answered your own question, Lynch.”

He cocked his head at her, confused. She was dressed head-to-toe in skin-tight white clothing, her hair hidden beneath a skullcap pulled low on her head.

His face broke into a sharp smile, “No.”

“Yep! You’ve been calling me ‘maggot’ for years – tonight, it’s finally accurate!”

“That is… I can’t…” Ronan was speechless with joy.

Blue grinned, “I love you too, buddy.”

Adam put his arm around Ronan’s waist and squeezed his hip, “See, this party is already better than you expected. Let’s get some drinks and find Noah so he can see the costumes and check it off his list of demands, and then maybe you can lose the wig.”

Ronan leaned into him and kissed his cheek, “I don’t think I’m getting off that easy, but I appreciate your optimism.”

**

They eventually found Noah chatting with Malory and some locals. Noah was dressed in long blue robes and wore a white beard and a crown. Malory was dressed as Edgar Allan Poe, as was, oddly enough, everyone else in the group.

Noah threw his arms in the air as they approached, “You did it! You really did it! Aghhhhh! I love it!” He lunged at Ronan and hugged him, jumping up and down. Ronan stood still with a long-suffering expression on his face as Noah planted a kiss on his cheek.

Noah turned to Adam, “And you! You make such a hot Moony!”

Adam grinned, “Noah, are you a secret wolfstar nut?”

“It’s not a secret! Ronan just never listens to me. WAIT. Are you into wolfstar?!” Noah looked like he might burst out of his skin.

“Uh… I mean, I might have read some stuff…”

“Are you on AO3?? What’s your username? I’m ghostchild83!”

“YOU’RE GHOSTCHILD83??” Adam practically shouted. He coughed awkwardly and snuck a glance at Ronan who was looking back and forth between them, a horrified expression on his face.

“I mean, I, uh, don’t have an account or anything,” he cut his eyes to Ronan again, “but I think I might have read some of your stuff…”

“Small world, man! Hope it wasn’t too racy for ya’!” Noah grinned and gave an exaggerated wink.

Ronan choked on his whiskey.

“So, anyway, who are you supposed to be?” Adam asked hurriedly.

“I’m Ice King from Adventure Time!”

“Riiiiight. I see it now,” Adam turned to Malory and the group of Poes, “And did you guys all plan this, or is it a really weird coincidence?”

Ronan leaned his chin on Adam’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “I see you trying desperately to change the subject, and we will _absolutely_ be returning to it later.”

Adam ignored him, listening to Malory explain the town’s annual Edgar Allan Poe costume contest.

“Ronan would never allow us to have it at The Raven before, can you _imagine_?! A perfectly named venue, but he simply wouldn’t have it! We are so very grateful that Mr. Czerny is more open-minded. It is, after all, for charity!” Malory glared at Ronan but couldn’t quite keep the sour expression on his face. He wasn’t very good at being angry with Ronan.

“And he even came up with a delightful new name for it!” Malory continued, patting Noah on the back.

Noah grinned, “Yes, Ronan, why don’t you tell Adam what the full name of this event is…?”

“I’m not saying it.”

“Ronan.”

Ronan clenched his jaw and stared straight ahead.

“WILLING PARTICIPATION, LYNCH.”

He closed his eyes and gritted out, “Ronan and Noah’s Halloween Hootenanny.”

Noah sidled up next to him and put his chin on his shoulder, “That’s not the name and you know it... try again.”

“I swear to god I will drag you upstairs and throw you out the window.”

“I can wait all night, buddy.”

Ronan sighed, closing his eyes in defeat, “Ronan and Noah’s Halloween Boo-tenanny.”

“...featuring?” Malory prompted, grinning.

“... _featuring_ the Annual Edgar Allan Poe-arty.”

Adam bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood.

Ronan saw him struggling to hold in his laughter, and smirked "You think that's bad? It was almost 'Night of a Thousand Im-Poe-sters'."

That did it. The dam broke and the laughter poured out of him until he was crying.

Ronan cracked a small smile. At least his humiliation had produced _this_. His overworked husband helpless with laughter, eyes shining. Maybe this party hadn’t been such a terrible thing.

He leaned against Adam as he managed to pull himself together, “So… Harry Potter porn, huh?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders, giving up, “I’ll read some to you later. Just wait. You’ll be a convert.”

Ronan shuddered, “Just not Noah’s OK? I’d be scarred for life. He’s still dating my little brother, remember?”

“Yikes. Right. No ghostchild83. Where _is_ Matthew?”

Ronan cast his eyes around the room and cackled, pointing to the back, “There he is… dressed like a penguin. Oh right, Ice King and Gunter. That tracks. Oh, and there’s Gansey and Henry.”

“Holy shit… is Gansey…?”

“Bumble Bee Man from The Simpsons. Yep.” Ronan grinned, “I mean, own your fear, right?”

“So Henry is afraid of Keanu Reeves in the Matrix?” Adam asked quizzically.

“More like obsessed. I think he’s worn that costume for the last five years.”

Adam hummed, “He can’t shift to John Wick? I never thought Henry would be so behind the times…”

“He claims Neo _imprinted_ on him as an impressionable youth. I don’t know what to fuckin’ tell ya,” Ronan shrugged and threw back the rest of his whiskey. “Come on, let’s hit up the maggot for more booze.”

They made their way through the crowd back to the bar, fighting their way to an open space. 

Adam looked up at the chalkboard listing the night’s specialty cocktails, “Oh, Jesus. Did Noah name these?”

Ronan groaned, “It was a Noah and Henry collaboration. Mal asked them to make them all Poe-themed.”

“What the fuck is in a _Don’t Tell-Tale My Heart, My Achy Breaky Heart_?”

“It’s basically a redneck boilermaker… shot of Tennessee whiskey with a Bud chaser.”

Adam couldn’t keep the shock off his face, “I thought you outlawed Budweiser?”

Ronan closed his eyes, his face pained, “The deal was that Noah got to make _all_ the decisions, including serving shit beer.”

“How about the _Masque of the Red (Wine) Death_?”

“Basically just sangria.”

Adam grinned, “And I can guess what’s in a _Murders in the Rue Morgue-a-rita_.”

Ronan hugged him closer, “That’s why I married you – your keen intellect.”

Blue appeared in front of them, carrying two bottles and looking harried, “Ronan, I’m getting swamped here – the turnout is way bigger than Noah expected. Can you help?”

Ronan nodded at her and sighed, turning to Adam, “Sorry about this.”

Adam smiled back at him, “It’s fine. I’m actually kind of beat from the trip. Do you think Noah would be OK with me heading out early?”

“He got what he wanted. And _more_ apparently, now that he has a new wolfstar buddy,” Ronan grinned cheekily. “Leave the costume on so you can read some smut to me in character later.”

Adam rolled his eyes, “Fine, but the collar stays on then.”

“Oh, the collar isn’t going anywhere. Don’t you worry.”

“Happy Halloween, Padfoot,” Adam kissed him and tugged on his wig.

“Happy Halloween, nerd.”

**Author's Note:**

> I searched AO3 to see if the username 'ghostchild83' was taken and it seemed to be clear, but if you're out there (and are not in fact a smudgy wolfstar lover) and want me to change it, lemme know!


End file.
